December 11, 2024—Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC) has announced the appointment of Lisa Fischer as the museum’s first Deputy Director of Research and Collections. This newly established position will collaborate with the Director to oversee ongoing research initiatives, plan and implement new cultural resource mitigation projects, engage local stakeholders in community-focused efforts, and design and update exhibits. Fischer previously served as Chair of CAA International (Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology) and began her new role in December 2024.
“We are thrilled to have Lisa join our team,” stated Travis Parno, the Director of Research and Collections at Historic St. Mary’s City. “In addition to her management experience, she brings a wealth of skills in archaeology and digital heritage. We are excited to grow new analytical tools and virtual visitor engagement opportunities under Lisa’s guidance.”
In her new position, Fischer will help oversee the extensive collection of HSMC artifacts and lead the department’s ongoing transition to GIS (Geographic Information System). One of her initial goals will be to develop public-facing digital products designed to engage a new generation of visitors.
Fischer brings a wealth of leadership and archaeological experience from outdoor museums. As the Director of Digital Initiatives at the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation (Preservation Virginia), she was the project director for Digital reDiscovery, which featured an interactive map of James Fort’s archaeological elements complemented by two video tours. Additionally, she played a key role in the museum’s online expansion by digitizing artifacts and enhancing educational website content, including 3D modeling of several Fort-period structures.
During her time as Director of the Digital History Center at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Fischer led the research and development of a GIS map highlighting archaeological features for the eWilliamsburg project. This project included supervising the creation of an interactive timeline that allowed users to explore the growth and transformation of Williamsburg from 1699 to 1800. Furthermore, Fischer co-directed Rev-Quest: Save the Revolution!, an immersive onsite alternate reality spy game that offered guests a unique view of the American Revolution through the lens of intelligence gathering.
Fischer holds a Master’s degree in Anthropology with a Specialization in Historical Archaeology from the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts.
Lisa Fischer’s first day as the Deputy Director of Research and Collections will be December 11, 2024.